One embodiment relates generally to carpentry tools and, more specifically, to an improved tape measure apparatus which includes a rotating and sliding catch.
Standard tape measures include a length of tape wound on a spool with a spring return mechanism so that after the tape is taken out of a housing, the spring return mechanism automatically retracts the tape into the housing. A locking mechanism, typically a sliding button, locks the tape for the purpose of reading the length of the deployed tape.
Numerous tape measures have been provided in prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,624,120 to Mills; U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,486 to Drechsler; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,426 to Hull are illustrative of the prior art and incorporated herein by reference to show the conventional construction of tape measures. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described. Tape measures are well adapted for measuring distances but their utility is usually restricted to this single function.
In order to make catches or end hooks connected to the measuring tape as an entity, and to prevent inconvenience of carrying the tape measures, the areas of end hooks are small as possible. However, since the catches or end hooks are used to grab/hook onto an edge portion of an article being measured, and the rule blade pulled out to the second dimension being measured, small area catches/end hooks make it difficult to grab/hook onto the article being measured with the catches/end hooks tending to slide away causing rewinding of the rule blade and irritation to the user. Additionally, because conventionally available catches/end hooks point downwardly relative to the tops of rule blades, measurements requiring grabbing/hooking by the catches are limited to situations where the rule blade is facing up. This situation makes it inconvenient for users wishing to grab/hook onto the underside edge of an object to be measured.
In certain instances the catches or end hooks to tape measures actually inhibit proper measurements. In these instances catches which can both slide and rotate to accommodate restrictions in the item/surface being measured would be desirable. In the instant application catch and end hook are intended to be synonymous terms and will be used interchangeably.
While certain novel features of the invention shown and described below are pointed out in the annexed claims, the invention is not intended to be limited to the details specified, since a person of ordinary skill in the relevant art will understand that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. No feature of the invention is critical or essential unless it is expressly stated as being “critical” or “essential.”